Wire straightening and cutting machine



March 27, 1928. 1,663,969

w. E. BOWLER WIRE STRAIGHTENING AND CUTTING MACHINE Filed June 17. 19257 Sheets-Sheet 1 #vvawrae WITNESSES MW .5 EMA,

7 Sheets-Sheet. 2

W E BOWLER WIRE STRAIGHTENING AND CUTTING MACHINE March 27, 1928.

March 27, 1928. 7 1,663,969

w. E. BOWLER I WIRE STRAIGHTENING AND CiJTTING MACHINE Fild June l 'l.1925 7 sheets-sheet 5 FIE-L4- I IN II I

FIGEI.

m k W/ TNESSES March 27, 1928.

W. E. BOWLER WIRE STRAIGHTENING AND CUTTING MACHINE '7 Sheetsr-Sheet 4Filed June 17, 1925 w i m 9 M w W M fin M Mimi E .k Sui w fl W \m\\ 6 mf6 W a g 67 k M /flw M \Q k n aw mmf .6 H mm \m a. wm m ww L n 1 WM m hm %m a 9? n, u 6 6 K M 1: -mqul 0 March 27, 1928.

W. E. BOWLER WIRE STRAIGHTENING AND CUTTING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet. 5

Filed June 17. 1925 NN EE March 27, 1928.

W. E. BOWLER WIRE STRAIGHTENING AND CUTTING MACHINE Filed June 17, 1925'7Sheets sheei; 6

M/VEA/TOI? rwwgw V/4a, y w ww- S mH m n 3 I WW E 1. Mhulv hhwfiw lllll wLu I! 1-! r \M \Q\ Q6 Q0 Iii] III S 9Q Li {I 1 5 p m N T NH mh. U

Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. BOWLER, OF NIAGARA FALLS. NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE SPIRELLACOMPANY, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA WIRESTRAIGHTENING AND CUTTING MACHINE.

Application filed June 17, 1925. Serial No. 37,731.

The invention relates to mechanism for fabricating articles formed ofwire which is bent back and forth into oppositely disposed loops whichslightly overlap, and particularly for fabricating the so-calledSpirella corset stays, an example of which and the method of forming itis illustrated in United States patent to Beeman N 0. 1,002,488,September 5, 1911.

The object of the invention is to provide mechanism combined andcoordinated in a unitary automatic machine which not only bends the wireto the desired shape, but also takes out the bends, both flatwise andedgewise, and the twists which result from bending the highly temperedwire to shape, and which also automatically cuts the straightened andflattened fabric into the desired lengths.

The mechanisms comprising the combined machine and which perform theseveral individual operations are per se not broadly new, but theinvention consists in the. combination, correlation and alteration ofthese to enable them to be combined in asingle organized machine capableof automatic operation.

Wire bending or forming machines substantially as embodied in thiscombined machine are well known and have been extensively used. Theuncoiling, straightening, nntwisting, and cutting-off operations whichin the present invention are coordinated with the bending and formingmachine, have heretofore been done separately and by hand, that is, bythe use of simple hand-operated mechanisms. They have not heretoforebeen coordinated with each other or with the wire forming machine, norhave they been adapted for automatic operation as'far as I know.

Generally stated, the new organization of mechanism comprises means forfirst bending the wire to form oppositely disposed overlapping loops andthereafter subjecting the fabric so formed to mechanism which insuccession and automatically removes the flatwise curling. or coiling,the edgewise bends in the fabric, and the twists in the fabric, andfinally severs the flattened fabric into the desired lengths; all ashereinafter described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is an elevation of the combinedmachine looking at what will be termed the front of the same; Fig. 2 isa plan view of thesame; Fig. 3 is a tran'sverse vertical section on theline 33, Fig. 1, and illustrating the tension mechanism in elevation;Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 5 is a vertical scetional viewon the line 5-5, Fig. 4; Fig. 6 1s a face view of the worm wheel shownin Figs. 3, 4 and 5; Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing thegripping faces of the feed wheelsaFig. 8 is a vertical section on theline 88, Fig. 1, illustrating in vertical section the means for removingthe flatwise bending or curling of the fabric; Fig. 9 is a plan viewpartly in horizontal section of the same; Fig. 10 is a verticallongitudinal section through the means for taking twists out of thefabric; Figs. 11 and 12 are detail vertical sections of the same takenrespectively on. the lines 1111 and 12-12, Fig. 10; Fig. 13 is a detailplan View of the means'for taking the edgewise bends out of the fabric;Fig. 14 is a vertical transverse section through the same on the line14-44, Fig. 13, and approximately on the line 1414, Fig. 1; Fig. 15 is avertical transverse section on the line 15-15, Fig. 1, illustrating thecutting-off mechanism in end elevation; Fig. 16 1s a side elevation ofsaid cutting mechanism and its controlling means, viewed from the rearofthe machine; Fig. 17 is an elevation looking from the rear of themachine illustrating. the driving and reversing mecha-' nism for thecontrolling means for the cutting-off mechanism; Fig. 18 is a plan viewof the same; Fig. 19 is a. vertical transverse section on the line 1919,Fig. 17 Fig. 20 is a horizontal sectional View on, the line 2020,

-Fig. 17; Fig. 21 is a Vertical longitudinal section on the line 21-21,Fig. 18; and Fig. 22 is a detail view of the brake mechanism associatedwith the cutting-oil mechanism.

In the drawings the reference letter A indicates the mechanism forbending the wire to form oppositely disposed overlapping loops. Machinesof this character are well known. an early type being that shown inUnited States patent to Mallet, No. 820,510, May 15, 1906. an improvedtype being shown in. Beeman Patent No. 1,009,823, November 28. 1911,while the specific machine used for illustration in the present drawingsis a still later improvement, being that of patent to Beeman andKitchen, No. 1,042,756, October 29, 1912. Inasmuch as machines of thistype are well known, this part of the mechanlsm has not been illustratedin detail, but only its general outline and so much of its parts havebeen illustrated as are necessary to show the connection of the otherparts of the mechanism thereto. As shown in said Bceman and Kitchenpatent, this machine is provided with belt pulleys, from which all ofthe parts of said machine are operated, including the oppositelyoscillating bending fingers particularly shown in Fig. 11 of the Beemanand Kitchen patent, but which are not shown in the instant drawings. Inthe instant drawings these power pulleys are designated by the numeral25. From them all of the mechanisms which are associated with this wirebending machine are driven. The said machine is provided withfeeding-out rollers, marked 26 on the instant drawing, for the fabric,which rollers are driven by a vertical shaft marked 27 on the instantdrawings. This last named shaft has secured to its lower end a beveledpinion 28 which meshes with a like pinion 29 on a longitudinal shaft 30which extends to the outer end of the machine and from which all of theother associated mechanism are driven. The fabric formed by machine A,and its course through the machine is designated by the numeral 31.

On leaving the bending or forming machine A the fabric passes to thefeeding and tension mechanism illustrated generally at B, Figs. 1 and 2,and shown in detail in Figs.-

3 to 7. This mechanism comprises a base 32 in which is mounted a pair offeed rolls 33 and 34, which are formed with meeting faces conforming tothe cross sectional contour of the stay, as shown particularly in Fig.7, the upper one of which, 34, has a nurled gripping face 35 in the formof an annulus projecting into a groove in the lower roll 33, in which isseated a cooperating yielding annulus 36, preferably formed of leather.The

lower roll 33 is driven from the longitudinal drive shaft 30 by means ofa worm 37 on the latter meshin with a worm-wheel 38 on the roll shaft,an the shafts of the two rolls are connected to rotate in unison byintermeshing gears 39 and 40. In order to enable any slack to be takenup, the shaft of roll 33 is provided with a nurled head 42 by which itcan be turned and is loose in driven worm wheel 38, to which it isyieldingly locked by means of a spring-pressed ball 43 longitudinallymovable in a collar 44- secured to the roller shaft and adapted to enterany one of a number of recesses 45 in the worm wheel 38. Thisspring-pressed ball and the cooperating recesses 45 form in effect aratchet mechanismwhich enables the roller 33 to be moved to any degreeforward or backwardlv with reference to the driven wheel 38.

The fabric 31 coming from the forming machine first passes over anidleror guide roll 46 which is in the same horizontal plane I as theroll 34 and in advance of the latter,

and then passes downwardly around a pin The lever 48 is fulcrumed at 49,and is frictionally clamped between the bracket 50 on which it ismounted and the head 51 of its fulcrum bolt so that it will remain inany position to which moved. By oscillating lever 48 the pin 47 willmanifestly be moved toward and away from the bite of the rolls 33 and 34and consequently the length and inclination ofthe loop of the wirebetween guide roll 46, pin 47 and the bite of rolls 33 and 34 will bevaried, thus varying the tension on the wire fabric passing to thesubsequent mechanisms. Thus, by simply changing the position of lever 48the tension can be varied to secure the most efficient operation of thesubsequent mechanisms. The next mechanism to which the wire issubjected, in the order illustrated in the drawings, is the flatwisestraightening or uncoiling mechanism, illustrated gen rally at 0, Figs.1 and 2, and shown in detail in Figs. 8 and 9. This straightener oruncoiler comprises a base 54, on the front face of which are two pairsof forwardly projecting spaced apart guide pins 55 and 55, between eachpair of which pins the fabric passes, each pin being provided with ahead, as shown in Figs. 1, 8 and 9, in order to prevent the fabric fromslipping out horizontally. -Between these two pairs of pins the base isprovided with a vertical groove 56 in which is the vertically movableslide 57 providedwith a pair of spaced apart forwardly projecting pins58 between which the fabric also passes. This slide has connected to itsupper end a lever 59 fulcrumed at 60, and which also is frictionallyclamped between the bracket on which it is mounted and the head 61 ofthe fulcrum bolt so that said lever will stay in any position to whichit is moved. Hence by moving this lever the position of the horizontalpins 58 on the slide 57 relative to the stationary pins 55 and 55 can bevaried, so as to impart any desired degree of deflection to the fabric,either upwardly or downwardly between the pins 55 and 55. this kinkingor bending having the effect of taking out the flatwise bends of thefabric, and the amount of this kink or bend manifestly can be madeanything that is necessary in order to take out the curl or bend. Thewire fabric is pulled through this straightening device by means of apair of ment as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, in order that said rollsmay be turned either forwardly or backwardly as may be necessary. Thefabric then passes to a device for removing twists therefrom. Thisdevice as a whole is indicated at D. It comprises a base 67 bolted tothe frame of the machine and having two upwardly projecting portions atits upper end. One of these, as shown in Figs. 10 to 12, is providedwith a longitudinal slot 68 of a width and depth such as to fairlyclosely confine the fabric passing through the same, said slot lying ina horizontal plane. In advance of this slot, and rotatably mounted inthe other upwardly projecting member of the base 67 is a member 69provided with a longitudinal slot' 70 corresponding in contour to theslot 68, which member 69 is capable of rotation on a longitudinal axisto various positions and being set in adjusted position by means of theset screw 71. Manifestly the slots 68 and 70 will cause the fabricpassing through said slots to assume different planes flatwise, with theresult that any twist that exists in the fabric is removed. The member69 manifestly can be turned in either direction from the horizontalposition of its slot, depending upon the direction in which the twist inthe fabric exists, and also manifestly can be turned to a greater orless degree in either direction, depending upon the degree or amount oftwist in the fabric.

The fabric is pulled through this twistremoving device by means of apair of geared-together rolls 72' and 73, similar to the rolls 63 and64, driven from a worm 74 on the longitudinal shaft 30, and like theformer being yieldingly connected to the driving gear.

The fabric next passes to a device for removing any edgewise bendstherein. This device as a whole is designated by the reference letter Ein Figs. 1 and 2 and is shown in detail in Figs. 13 and 14. It comprisesa base 76 secured to and projecting from a standard 77 secured to theframe of the machine; The base 76 is provided with a pair of horizontalguideways 78 and 79, in which are similar slides 80 and 81,respectively, each of which is provided with a pair of spaced apartupwardly projecting headed studs or bolts 82 and 83, respectively,

between which the fabric passes and b v which it is guided with its flatin a horizontal plane. These slides are moved by the levers marked 84and 85, respectively, each having a pin and slot connection with itsslide and fulcrumed on a horizontal longitudinal axis 86 on a bracket 87projecting from the base 76. These levers are adapted to be frictionallyclamped, by means of nuts on their fulcrum bolts, so that they willremain in whatever position to which they are moved. The fabric, asstated, passes between the vertical studs on the two slides, and asthese two slides are capable of being moved to variouspositionshorizontally, the fabric can be deflected edgewise to a greateror lesser degree, and in either edgewise direction. By setting theseslides in the proper position to give the necessary edgewise bending tothe stays, edgewise bends in the fabric can be effectively removed. To

further assist in giving the necessary edgewise deflection, the base 76is pivotally mounted to the standard 77' and is adapted to be clampedthereto in an angular position, by means of the winge bolt 88 in Fig. 2.At the exit side of this straightening device, are a pair of guide arms,90 and 91, which are pivotally mounted to the base 76 and capable ofbeing clamped thereto in any angular position, such as by the wingedscrews 92, and one of these arms, such as arm 90, has a slottedconnection, as shown at 93, with the screw 92, so that these arms-can beadjust ed to bring their curved ends into clos'econiact with the edgesof the fabric, as shown .-n Fig. 13, and thus guide the same in astraight path after leaving the guiding studs on the last of the twoslides' Ono of the arms, .such as arm 90, is provided on its lower facewith a projecting ledge 94 which extends underneath the end of the arm91 and thus prevents the fabric from escaping from between the ends ofarms 90 and 91.

The fabric is fed through the edgewise straightening device E, andonwardly to the cutting-off device next to be described, by means (f apair of geared-together rolls 97 and 98, which like the previouslydescribed feed rolls are yieldingly driven from a worm 99, on thelongitudinal shaft 30.

The cutting-off device is designated as a whole by the reference letterF on Figs. 1 and 2 and is shown in enlarged'view in Figs. 15 and 16. Itcomprises a base or anvil 100 to which is secured a channeled guidememher 101 providing a longitudinal passage 102 for the fabric. Thisguide member, and also the anvil 100, is provided in its top with atransverse slot to receive a knife 103 clamped in 'the outer end of astrong rocking lever 104 fulcrumed on the longitudinal axis 105 andhaving its other end pivotally connected to a pitman 106 having a strapportion surrounding an eccentric 108 on a short longitudinal shaft 109mounted directly in the rear of the longitudinal drive shaft 30, andgeared to the latter to be intermittently rotated. This connectioncomprises a gear 111 on the shaft 30 which meshes with a gear 112 looseon the shaft 109 and provided with one member of a jaw clutch 113. Theother member of this jaw clutch is splined to the shaft 109 and isnormally urged into locking engagement with the member on gear 112 by acompression spring 114 interposed between said member and a collar 115on the end of the shaft 109. This slidablc clutch member is providedwith 'a groove 116, which is engaged by the forked arm 117 of an anglelever fulcrumed at 118 and having its other arm 119 controlled by meanshereinafter described. The mechanism is so designed that when the shaft109 is actuated to operate the cutter, it makes one complete revolutionand then stops. To assist it in stopping in the proper position twodevices are employed. One comprises the yielding brake plate 120 securedto a portion of the stationary frameand frictionally engaged by aneccentrically faced disc 121 on the end of shaft 109. The plate 120 isadjustable toward and from the disc 121 by means of an adjusting screw122 tapped through an arm 123 on the frame. The arrangement is such thatwhen the shaft 109 has completed a full revolution the high partof theeccentric disc 121 engages the plate 120, thus producing a frictionwhich will tend to bring the shaft 109 to rest. The other devicecomprises a pitman rod 125 mounted on a crank pin 126 on the disc 115 onshaft 109, and which pitman rod is thereby reeiprocated through anopening in a stationary guide member 127. In-

terposed between this guide member 127 and' a fixed collar 128 on therod 125 is a compression spring 129, the whole being so arranged thatwhen the spring 129 is expanded to the fullest extent the pitman rodwill be elevated, thus tending to bring the shaft 109 to a stand-stillat a time when the crank pin 126 is in its most elevated position, whichis just the time when the high part of the eccentric disc 121 is infrictional engagement with the brake plate 120. These special means forbringing the shaft 109 to a state of rest in a given position arenecessary because of the very rapid rotary movement of said shaft.giving a full up and down movement to knife 103 in a very short intervalof time.

The mechanism for bringing about the intermittent action of the cutteris shown in general plan view in Fig. 2, and in detail in Figs. 17 to21. It comprises reciprocating means for controlling the movement of thelever 119 which actuates the clutch 113, and adjustable reversingmechanism for actuat ing' said reciprocating means.

' The main element of the reciprocating mechanism comprises a screw 130extending longitudinally of the machine and mounted in bearings 131 onthe backside thereof. This screw is driven from the shaft 30 throughbeveled pinions 132 and transverse horizontal shaft 133, the latterbeing connected through a pair of spiral gears 135 to a shortlongitudinal shaft 136 which is connected to the screw 130 through thereversing mechanism now to be described and shown in detail in Figs. 17to 20. Shaft 136 carries a gear 137 which meshes directly with a gcar138loose on the end of screw 130 and another gear 139 which connectsthrough an intermediate idler 140 with a gear 141 also loose on the endof screw 130. Splined to the screw 130 between the gears 138 and 141 isa double jaw clutch member 142 arranged to engage, when moved to itsopposite positions, jaws on the gears 138 and 141 respectively, but onlyone at a time. Clutch member 142 is provided with an annular groovewhich is engaged by a fork 143 on lever 144 which is fulcrmned at 145 onthe stationary frame member 146. The lower end of lever 144 isbifurcated as shown in Fig. 19, and each of. its arms is provided with asegmental runway 147 for a roller 148. The two rollers 148 are connectedby a neck 149 on which is swiveled the upper end of a rod 150. The lowerend hand end as shown in Fig. 17, the lever 143 is held in the positionwhere the clutch member 142 is engaged with the gear 138. If, however,said rollers be forcibly moved toward the right, viewing Fig. 17, itwill cause spring 154 to be compressed so that as soon as the rollerspass the lowest point in the curved segmental runways 147, that is tosay, pass beyond the dead center, the expansion of spring 154 willquickly force said rollers to the extreme right hand end of said runways147 thus causing a quick snapping rotation of the lever 144 to disengagethe clutch member 142 from gear 138 and bring it into engagement withgear 141, thus reversing the rotation of screw 130.

The means for moving the rollers 148 and thus oscillating the lever 144as described, consists of the following mechanism: 156 is a blockprovided with aithreaded hole engaging screw 130. and hence will bemoved either to the right or the left. depending upon the direction ofrotation of said screw. This block is guided on a stationarylongitudinal bar 157, and is provided with an posite side of block 156is a similar stop 162, which is readily adjustable lon 'tudmally of therod 158 by means of t e win ed clampin screw 163. The rod 158 is furtherprovided with projectin arms 164 and 165, respectively, one of whic lcarries apush rod 166 and the other a push rod 167. The ends of thesepush rods lie on opposite sides of the upper end of the toggle rod 150.When the screw 130 is rotating in one direction, say in a direction tomove the block 156' toward the right, in Fig. 17, the right hand sleeve160 will eventually contact stop 161 on rod 158, thus move said rodtoward the right and cause push rod 166 to push the upper end of thetoggle rod 150 toward the right, until, as already stated, the rollers148 pass the dead center in the curved runways in the lower end of lever144 and cause said lever to snap quickly into the reverse position,thereby disengaging clutch 142 from gear 138 and bringing it intoengagement with gear 141 and thus reversing the direction of rotation ofscrew 130. This causes the block 156 to move in the opposite direction,that is, toward the left, Fig. 17, and this movement will continue untilthe left hand sleeve 160 contacts the stop 162, which will cause the rod158 to he moved to the left, and thus cause the push rod 167 to comeinto engagement with the upper end of toggle rod 158, moving said upperend now toward the left, until again the rollers 148 pass the deadcenter of the curved runways 147, which will again cause the lever 144to quickly reverse its position and thus reverse the clutch 142 andagain reverse the rotation of screw 130.

By having the sleeves 160 threaded into the block 156 their positionscan be nicely adjusted in order to bring about the move ment of the rod158, and thus the actuation of the clutch 142, at precisely the rightmoment. The stop 161, as stated, is fixed to the rod 158, but the otherstop 162 is adjustable on the rod so that thereby the time of reversalof the screw 130 can be regulated in order that the cutter be actuatedto sever the fabric into pieces of different lengths. That is to say,the closer the stop 162 is to the stop 161 the shorter will be thelengths of fabric which are produced, whereas the farther the stop 162is from stop 161 the longer will be the lengths of fabric produced.

The clutch 113 for clutching the knife actuating shaft 109 to and forunclutching it from the drive shaft 30 is controlled from thereciprocating mechanism by the following means: As shown in Fig. 16 thehorizontal arm 119 of the clutch actuating fork is provided with adownwardly projecting nib 170, and a horizontally projecting finger 171.The nib 170 is arranged to be engaged by the wedge-shape member 172mounted to reciprocate horizontally so that inafter described forengaging the liori-- zontally projecting fin er 171. The wedge member172 is projecte 170 to open the clutch by means of a compressionspring173 surrounding the lon itudinal rod 174 which carries the wedge 12 underneath the nib and interposed between said wedge .172 and astationary member 175 surrounding said rod 174, said wedge member 172 iswithdrawn from underneath the nib 170, and at the same time spring 173is compressed, by the following means: Block 156 is provided with avertical bore in which is mounted a slidable dog 176 which is normallypressed downwardly by spring 177 to engage a lug 178 on rod 174. Hencewhen the block 156 is moved in a direction away from the outer end ofthe machine, the dog 17 6, by its engagement with the lug 178, forciblymoves the rod 174 in the direction to withdraw wedge 172 from underneaththe nib 170 on the clutch lever, and at the sametime compresses spring173. This engagement of dog 176 wit-h projection 178 occurs only whenthe block 156 approaches the limit of its movement in that direction,and results, as stated, in withdrawing the wedge 172 from underneath theclutch lever nib 170 and leaves the clutch lever under the control ofthe means which engages the projecting finger 171. It is during thisperiod, that is, when the wedge 172 is withdrawn, that the clutch isallowed to close under the control of the means hereinafter described.The clutch, however, remains closed only a short time, because aslightly further movement of the block 156 in the direction in which ithas been moving, effects the unlocking of the dog 176 from the lug 178,thus permitting the compression spring 173 to quickly project the wedge172 underneath the nib 170 and thus again open the clutch. Thisunlocking of dog 176 is due to the fact that when the block 156 movesslightly further in the direction in which it has been moving, it bringsinto engagement with a stationary roller 180 the outer inclined end of alever 181 which is fnlcrumed at 182 in the block 156 and is providedwith a projection 183 engaging a shoulder 184 on the dog 17 6. Theincline on the end of lever 181 is such that when the free end of saidlever is forced down by its engagement with roller 180 (as it will be byfurther movement of block 156) the dog 17 6 is lifted out of engagementwith the projection 17 8, and this allows the compression spring 173 tomove the wedge 172 underneath the nib 170 and forcibly open the clutch113.

Thus the wedge 172 constitutes positive means for opening-the clutch113, but to permit the clutch to clge, the action of the wedge 172 issupplemented by an additional control means which must be actuatedbefore the clutch can close. This additional contoward the forward endof the machine, par-;

allel to the rod 174 and extends loosely through an opening in the fixedbearing 131. It is normally biased in a direction to hold its endunderneath the finger 171, by means of compression spring 190 betweenthe bearing 131 and collar 191 fixed to the rod'- 188. Adjustablysecured to said rod is a stop collar 192 arranged to be engaged by bloc156 ,so as to push the rod 188 in a direction to compress the spring190, and thus withdraw the trigger 185 from underneath the finger 171.

The several parts are so positioned that in the movement of the block156 toward the right, viewing Fig. 18, the dog 176 engages projection178 an forces rod 174 in the direction of movement of the block 156,thus withdrawing the wedge member 172 from underneath the nib 170, andat the same time compressing spring 173. This would enable the clutchsprin 114 to close the clutch 113 were it not or the trigger 185 whichis still in engagement with finger 171..

The movement of block 156 continues and said block shortly comes incontact with the collar 192 on the rod 188, thus moving said rod in thesame direction and withdrawing the trigger 185 from underneath finger171. This then releases the clutch actuating lever and permits thespring 114 to close clutch 113. Immediately shaft 109 is put intorotation and the cutter is actuated. Almost by the time, or a littlebefore, that shaft 109 has completed one rotation, the end of lever 181(Fig. 21) will have been crowded under roller 180 to such extent thatdog 176 will be disengaged from stop 17 8. This releases rod 174 and thecompression spring 173 shoots the wedge member 172 outwardly underneathnib 170, thus raising lever arm 119 and opening the clutch, whereuponthe shaft. 109 will come to rest and will be brought to a state of restat just one complete revolution from its original idle position by themeans herebefore described. The trigger 185 moves outwardly underneathfinger 171 somewhat later, that is to say, when the screw 130 has beenreversed by the mechanism heretofore described and the block 156 ismoving in the opposite direction, which permits the spring 190 togradually expand and move rod 188 outwardly.

- All the foregoing mechanisms are scorganized and correlated that theseveral operations are automatically effected and in the desiredsequence, and with no hand manipulation or operation, other than the.presence of an attendant to see that the parts are properly working andthat the proper adjustments are made to effect the various operationsefliciently. That is. to say, the

operator must see that the proper adjustments are given to. the tensiondevice B,

'the fiatwise straightener C, the edgewise straightener E, and to therotatable member of the untwisting device 1). YHe will have to see thatthe adjustable stop 162 is so set as to produce reversal of the screw130 at such intervalsas to produce cut-off pieces of fabric of thedesired lengths. While it is preferred to have the several devices 0, Dand E arranged in the sequence in which shown, this is not absolutelynecessary, as they might be arran ed in some other order. The tensiondevice ,-however, must come first and the cutting-01f device F mustcome.

last. While also there is no novelty claimed per se in the fabric forminmachine A, or any broad novelty in the atwise straightener C, theuntwisting device D and the edgewise straightener E, nevertheless thesedevices in their details are different from devices heretofore used, andfor the first time have been adapted to be used in an organizedmechanism and to operate automatically. Asa result of the completeorganized machine much tedious .hand labor in the manufacture of wirecorset stays is dispensedwith, and an organized mechanism has beenproduced which delivers pieces of the desired length which are bothstraight and flat, and which need no further hand manipulation, andindeed no further handling at all except the application thereto of theusual tips at the ends and the usual electro-plating thereof to renderthe same rustproof.

I claim:

1. Wire fabricating mechanism, compris ing in combination mechanism forbending wire into successive o positely disposed overlapping loops,straig tening mechanism for uncoiling, flattening, untwisting, andremoving edgewise bends from the fabric so formed, mechanism forsevering the fabric into lengths, and driving mechanism organized toactuate all of said mechanisms simultaneously, synchronously andautomatically.

shaft for operating said straightening mechanism and actuating saidsevering mechanism.

3. lVire fabricating mechanism comprising in combination mechanism forforming wire into successive oppositely disposed overlapping loops,straightening mechanism for uncoiling, flattening, untwisting, andremoving edgewise bends from the fabric so formed, mechanism forsevering the fabric into lengths, a shaft driven from the wire formingmachine, means actuated by said shaft for feeding the fabric through thestraightening mechanisms, and means actuated by said shaft for operatingthe severing mechanism. I

4. Wire fabricating mechanism comprising in combination mechanism forforming wire into successive oppositely disposed overlapping loops,straightening mechanism including a tension mechanism, uncoiling andflattening, untwisting mechanisms, a severing mechanism, a shaft drivenfrom the wire forming machine, mechanism actuated by said shaft forfeeding the fabric from the forming machine through the straighteningmechanism and to the severing mechanism, and connections from said shaftfor actuating said severing mechanism.

5. Wire fabricating mechanism comprising in combination a machine forforming wire into successive oppositely disposed overlapping loops, feedrolls driven from said wire forming machine, adjustable means forvarying the tension of the fabric between said machine and said feedrolls, and straightening and flattening mechanism to which the fabric isdelivered from said tension rolls.

6. Wire fabricating mechanism comprising in combination a machine forformingand for removing edgewise bends from the fabric so'formed,adjustable tension means between the fabric forming mechanism and thestraightening mechanisms, and means driven from the wire forming machinefor drawing the fabric through said tension and straighteningmechanisms.

7. ire fabricating mechanism comprising in combination mechanism forforming wire into successive oppositely disposed overlapping loops, adevice subjecting said fabric to opposite flatwise bends, a device forsubjecting said fabric to opposite edge wise bends, a device forsubjecting said fabric to opposite twisting bends, drawing rollsarranged to draw the fabric through said devices successively, and ashaft driven from the wire forming machine and actuating said pairs ofdrawing rolls.

8. lVire fabricating mechanism comprising in combination mechanism forforming wire into successive oppositely disposed overlapping loops, ashaft driven from said wire forming mechanism, a number of pairs ofsuccessive feeding rolls geared to said shaft, an adjustable tensiondevice in advance of the first pair of said driven rolls, a device forsubjecting the fabric to opposite flatwise bends, a device forsubjecting the fabric to opposite twisting bends, and a device forsubjecting the fabric to opposite edgewise bends, said last threementioned devices being respectively followed each by a pair of drivenrolls.

In testimony whereof, I sign my name. lVILLIAM E. BOVVLER.

